Trace Elements in West Virginia Coals

CHROMIUM (Cr)

Chromium is one of the Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) as outlined in
Title III of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and its concentration
in West Virginia coals is of some environmental concern.

Geologic Distribution: Chromium in coal is probably associated
with clay minerals, but may also be present as very small chromite (FeCr2O4)
grains
1. In an unpublished study by the WVGES, chromite
grains were found in 7 of 24 coals examined. Chromium averaged 17.85 ppm
on a whole coal basis and correlated well with ash yield, and the ash related
elements thorium (Th), scandium (Sc), vanadium (V), hafnium (Hf), lithium
(Li), tantalum (Ta), lead (Pb), zirconium (Zr), cesium (Cs) and niobium
(Nb) and rare earth elements cerium (Ce), lanthanum (La), europium (Eu),
samarium (Sm) and lutetium (Lu). Chromium content was generally low with
elevated values in coals of the upper Kanawha Formation, Allegheny and
Conemaugh groups and the Dunkard group coals of southern and north central
West Virginia.

Economic Impact: Chromium in coal has no economic value or impact.
Chromium is used to harden steel, in stainless steel, chrome plating, glass
coloring and widely used as a catalyst 2.

Environmental Impact: Coal combustion is a source of Cr in the
atmosphere, but so are volcanic eruptions 3. There is no evidence
of deleterious effects of Cr from coal 3. However, chromium
has been listed as an element of "moderate concern 4.